Abbott allows cheaper diesel normally reserved for farms and off-road equipment on Texas roads as prices surge
A diesel pump is shown at a Rio Grande Valley gas station. Gov. Greg Abbott issued an emergency order Monday allowing diesel normally reserved for farms and off-road equipment to be used on Texas roads as fuel prices surge. Photo Credit | Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza

Texas farmers, truckers and other businesses can temporarily use dyed diesel on public roads under an emergency order aimed at bringing down fuel costs.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster proclamation Monday that suspends restrictions normally preventing dyed diesel — a cheaper, untaxed fuel primarily used for farming and other off-road work — from being used on Texas roads.

The move could provide some relief in the Rio Grande Valley, where agriculture, trucking and international trade depend heavily on diesel fuel.

Diesel prices have surged across Texas this month. Abbott said in a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the statewide price reached a record $5.97 a gallon in September.

5,000+ business leaders across the Valley start their day with us.

Join them free!

RGV Business Journal is the only newsroom dedicated exclusively to the business and economic forces driving South Texas and the border economy.

Our subscribers get:

In-depth reporting on real estate, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, and trade
Data and economic trend analysis unavailable anywhere else in the region
The Morning Newsletter: daily, before the workday starts

Try it free for 30 days.

Start My Free Trial

$9.95/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Add Rio Grande Valley Business Journal as a preferred source on Google

Daily Business Update

Get the latest business news delivered to your inbox every morning for free.

    Try 30 Days Free!

    Get full access to award-winning journalism covering business, real estate, health care, economic trends, and the people shaping the Rio Grande Valley.

    30 Days Free!

    $9.95/month

    Limited time offer

    Subscription renews after your 30 day free trial at $9.95/mo.

    Included Benefits


    • Unlimited access to all articles
    • Daily business news and analysis
    • Subscriber-only content and features
    Get Full Access

    Rio Grande LNG is investing $6.7B to expand its export terminal in Brownsville – here’s why

    October 16, 2025 • 2 min read

    A massive construction project that’s already underway in Brownsville just got bigger as Rio Grande LNG decided to expand the... Read more »

    What Valley businesses can learn from a new ‘Made in America’ consumer sentiment survey

    October 13, 2026 • 6 min read

    U.S. consumers, particularly younger shoppers, say they're willing to pay more for products made in America. Here's what that means... Read more »